In the case of J & J Sports Productions v. Jorge Alberto, et al., 2011 WL 1134265 the judgment creditor received a judgment against the owner of a bar who had broadcast a pay per view boxing match without authorization.

When the bar owner refused to pay the judgment, the judgment creditor moved for the appointment of a receiver of the bar’s liquor license which was granted.

While foreign sovereigns are generally immune from falling under the jurisdiction of US courts, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) provides that state sponsors of terrorism are no longer protected from being sued in US courts if certain conditions are met.

Once a court acquires jurisdiction over a foreign sovereign, it also has jurisdiction to compel compliance with its orders. In the case of Peterson v. Islamic Republic of Iran, the judgment creditors sought post judgment discovery responses from Iran to aid in the collection of a $2.7 Billion judgment. Iran failed to respond to the discovery requests, and the court entered an order compelling discovery.

When faced with a judgment debtor who is a defendant in multiple cases, there is a high probability that they have turned over significant funds to their attorneys from which to pay out settlements in the various matters.

Such was the case with Asbestos Corporation Limited (ACL), a Canadian corporation that is frequently sued in the United States for personal injuries related to, you guessed it, asbestos.

Believing that ACL had deposited significant funds with the Pennsylvania law firm of Goldfein & Joseph, the judgment creditors obtained an assignment order which then allowed them to seek a turnover of funds held by the judgment debtor’s attorneys.

The damages exceed insurance limits, and the value of defendant’s real property value has risen but his liability insurance has not been kept up. A collection attorney looks at when and how to go after hard assets, how to bargain for them, and when to settle for the insurance policy limits.